Artistic Help
by TypicalHyphen24
Summary: So Danny used singing to beat Ember, shocking her to no end. So when Kitty suggests asking him for help how will it turn out? writer's block in A.P.D. so detoured here. almost finished though.
1. Pyromania

**AN: Hyphen story 3. Yup, another DxE story, but I really do like Ember as the love interest. I'm gonna try and keep this story shorter and hopefully less descriptive than A.P.D. Enjoy. I do not own DP or the songs I will use, mentioned at the end. I made them thematically appropriate, I think.**

"How did I get myself into this mess?" Danny asked no one in particular then he saw the reason why.

"Oh yeah her." There across the park was an all too familiar ghost. Decked out in lether and skull combat boots, playing her hit song on that guitar of hers was the rock n' roll diva, Ember. Between the two of them was a good hundred yards of grass and closer to her was a growing crowd of mind-controlled fans. This would have been easier if Tucker hadn't been captured and Sam was around.

Apparently her folks finally had developed the good sense to move and with their money they could easily afford it. Sam wasn't thrilled with the idea, but once they made up their mind that was that. Danny watched as more kids started to crowd and he couldn't do anything directly to her because of the portable ghost shield she installed on her guitar.

"I just hope this plan works and I don't make a fool of myself." Danny mumbled nervously as he set everything up. He had grabbed a few supplies from a nearby music store and with the help of a few clones had gotten everything ready. Danny figured if something playing loud enough to combat the tune was played he could sap her strength and get an opening. If only Tucker hadn't been caught an amp and mic would have been fine but... here goes nothing. All clones took an instrument and started playing, the original at the as the lead singer. They started up the music, lights came to life,and the fog machines poured out the low lying smoke, and Danny started singing.

 _Pyro-pyromania_

 _Ma-ma-ma-mania_

 _Pyro-pyromania_

 _Ma-ma-ma-mania_

 _Oh, Call me obsessed, call me insane,_

 _Something is creeping through my veins_

 _My eyes cannot see, what's underneath,_

 _I can't stop and you can't stop me_

 _I'm gonna get the fire started (started)_

 _Impossible for you to breathe (breathe)_

 _The temperature is rising up (up, so hot)_

 _Cuz I'm burning up_

 _Pyromania, pyromania, ow_

 _Pyromania a-a-a-ow_

 _Pyromania, pyromania ow,ow,ow (heat it, heat it up, yeah)_

 _Pyromania, pyromania, ow_

 _Pyromania a-a-a-ow_

 _Pyromania, pyromania ow, ow, ow (heat it, heat it up, yeah)_

By the time he had come to finish the first part of the song kids in the back of the group had noticed and were on his side cheering him on.

"Phantom! Phantom! Phantom!"

Danny reaching the chorus was suprised that his plan was working, with this song no less. He originally chose it to get at her nerves since she was a pure fire core ghost, while he wasn't entirely sure of his yet. Not wanting to get caught in his thoughts he continued the song seeing more teens break from Ember's crowd.

 _Oh, I must confess a thousand degrees_

 _Bring out the beast inside of me_

 _Don't be afraid, go into the blaze_

 _It's gonna melt your fears away_

 _I'm gonna get the fire started (started)_

 _Impossible for you to breathe (breathe)_

 _The temperature is rising up (up, so hot)_

 _And I'm burning up_

 _Pyromania, pyromania, ow_

 _Pyromania a-a-a-ow_

 _Pyromania, pyromania, ow, ow, ow (don't you see me burning up)_

 _Pyromania, pyromania ow_

 _Pyromania a-a-a-ow_

 _Pyromania, pyromania, ow, ow, ow (heat it, heat it up yup)_

Danny had nearly finished the song, and nearly all the kids had left Ember to cheer for him. _'Show business is very fickle.'_ he humorously thought to himself. Across the way Ember noticed the decrease in chanting and power flowing through her, plus she heard chanting of a name that wasn't HERS. She looked up from her guitar and the first few rows of kids she could see from her peripherals and noticed that her crowd no longer extended beyond that.

"WHAT?!" She angrily cried out in the middle of her verse, the silence was soon drowned out by Danny's performance and the crowd chanting his name. This was enough of an opening for the mind-control to be tuned out and the kids rushed to join the other crowd. Ember's hair flared the best it could now that nobody was chanting her name. Her sile focus now on the halfa.

"Babypop why you-"

She didn't get to finish her thought as he started singing again.

 _Pyro-pyromania_

 _Ma-ma-ma-mania_

 _Pyro-pyromania_

 _Ma-ma-ma-mania_

 _Soon as the fire is running wild_

 _I will surrender to farenheit_

 _And I don't want to apologize_

 _It's getting hot, hot, and I'm burning UPPPP_

 _Pyromania, pyromania, ow_

 _Pyromania a-a-a-ow_

 _Pyromania, pyromania OW, OW, OW (heat it, heat it up, yeah)_

 _Pyromania, pyromania, ow_

 _PyromaniA, a-a-a-ow_

 _Pyromania, pyromania ow, ow, owww_

When he finished the crowd roared chanting his name louder than before, and although he didn't have Ember's power up power, the sound was invigorating. Every single mouth was chanting his name, all except one. There hovering over the crowd was Ember a shocked expression on her face with her mouth in an O shape at what she just witnessed and heard. Danny hadn't missed the fact that she had drifted towards him shield down, he sent a command to one of his clones via mental link. The clone unstrapped the Fenton Thermos trapping the rocker ghost before she even knew what happened.

"What the-" was all that was heard before the pop and hiss off the thermos being capped and locked.

"Well that was kinda fun actually." Danny said to himself as he looked at the crowd that had gathered in front of him, all screaming his name out loud, "Phantom! Phantom! Phantom!" He chuckled taking the mic.

"I want to thank you all for the support and I hope you enjoyed the song goodnight." He spoke, receiving a groan and sighs from the crowd. He and his clones got to returning the equipment they borrowed before he went to deposit Ember back into the GZ.

"Hey Ember good try this time, maybe next time you could try it without the whole mind-control, I'm sure everyone would love to really here the Ember McLain I hear. You're really good and your music is great as well, I really like it." He spoke at the thermos holding Ember, receiving no response. " Maybe we could do a duet, even though I know your rule. Hahaha. Well until next time." He said injecting the thermos into the portal console, sending Ember back in. " Heh, didn't even need to throw a punch... But why do I feel like I'm forgetting some...one, TUCKER!" With that he shot back to the park in search of his best friend.

 **(Meanwhile In The Ghost Zone)**

"Oh my god Kitty you should have been there the dipstick really knew how to jam." Ember said pacing in her living room, regaling her best friend with her latest encounter with Danny. Said biker chick was lying on the couch wearing her usual outfit minus the red leather jacket which was on the other side of said couch.

"Oh I know, he used to sing to me when we went out... didn't I tell you that?" Kitty asked, wondering if she shared that tidbit with her girlfriend.

Ember just stood there shaking her head, "No you didn't."

Kitty shrugged the info pointless now. "Well it doesn't really matter too much now, your here, he's there, end of story." "Yeah.."

Ember had stopped pacing, taking a seat in a chair in her living room, she stared at the floor. It was quiet in the room until Kitty got worried.

"Hey Em, you ok over there? He didn't hurt you too bad did he?" She looked at her friend concern in her eyes, from what she could see there was no physical injuries, but maybe the injury wasn't skin deep.

"No, I'm fine he didn't hurt me." Ember said reassuring her friend, "It's just that..." she paused unsure of how she felt about what Danny had told her.

"It's just what?" Kitty asked a questioning look on her face.

"Kitty you like my music right? It's really good, huh?" She looked at her friend

"Does that even need to be a question?" Kitty deadpanned back at her.

"Well it's just that babypop said he likes my music, and that I wouldn't need to mind-control people so that they would like my music. That maybe if I just played my music they'd love me." Ember revealed.

"Whoa hold the phone, you mind-control people because you're insecure of yourself? I thought you wanted to rule the world?" Kitty asked shocked

Ember shook her head, lowering her head in embarassment. While she may be Ember McLain, Rock n' Roll Diva of the Ghost Zone, it was mostly a front. She always felt insecure of how the masses would handle her music and style, so she thought it would just be easier to control everyone to liking her music, and claiming she wanted to take over the world was just an easy hugged her friend in comfort, Ember returning the embrace. Letting go Kitty looked back at Ember and asked her another question.

"So Danny likes your music huh?" she said wriggling her eyebrows.

Ember catching what her hopeless romantic of a friend was implying shot her down immediately, "No Kitty."

Kitty not giving up thought of a different approach, " So you already knows he likes your music, and he gave you invitation to go back to play. Why not ask him for some help in making songs? You heard him on stage, he is pretty good at coming up with songs, wouldn't hurt?"

Ember opened her mouth to reject Kitty's idea, but stopped when what she said had merit.' _Babypop did do pretty good up stage and the song wasn't half bad.'_ She mulled the thoughts over in her head, not seeing a downside to try and ask for help from the dipstick.

"Well I do suppose you have a point." Ember said, earning a squeal of delight from Kitty. "But its just for artistic help, nothing more." She clarified to Kitty.

"Of course it is." Kitty sarcastically said, glancing at her wristwatch she jumped up. "Ohmygosh, sorry Em I got to go meet Johnny like right now." Grabbing her jacket she raced to the door, turning around she looked at Ember, "Good luck getting your Babypop." she teased, putting emphasis on 'babypop', shutting the door as a pillow collided with it. Ember sat back downan annoyed expression on her face, blowing a stray lock of her flaming her away from her face. "Its just for help with my music." She folded her arms telling herself thats all it was nothing more.

 **AN: So yeah, this idea was brewing in my mind and needed to be written, it just flowed... So if you do read this could you review need feedback and whatnot.** **Hyphen out.**

 **Pyromania - Cascada (Negative Nightcore)**


	2. Writer's Block,

**HYPHEN NOTE: Hello fellow readers, Hyphen here, again. Thanks for finding interest in this story, your comments and so on mean a lot. So here is chapter 2. Legi sur.**

 **(The Next Day)**

Danny had awoken feeling refreshed. After the whole Ember incident no other ghosts had bothered to show up, which was always welcomed in Danny's book. He had found Tucker relatively easy, since the only place in the park she could have hidden him would be beneath the stage she was on. He half-wondered if she took his advice, or even heard it, before pushing it away and get ready for another soul-destroying day of school. You'd think with how many people die of boredom in class Mr. Lancer would try too liven it up a bit.

...

Never mind, the last time he tried that it most likely scarred the class for life. How can someone be that hairy EVERYWHERE!? He shuddered at the memory shoving it deep in the recesses of his mind, probably needing therapy later in life, before going downstairs. He grabbed an apple and dipped out the door saying his hellos and goodbyes on the way out, whether his parents heard or not who knows. Halfway to school he caught up with Tucker tapping away on his PDA, before he saw Danny was next to him.

"Hey man what's up?"

"Not much Tuck... What'cha doing there?"

"Just telling Sam about our recent encounter with Ember."

"Oh great, now she's gonna be blowing up my phone with questions on how I can play and sing, and why I never had done so before."

"Haha, yeah she has to know everything. She's almost as bad as Jazz in that way. But where did you learn to play all those instruments though? Out of the ten years I've known you I have never seen you pick up more than the class recorder, and that didn't go to well either.

Danny cringed at the memory, it was true back in 4th grade they all had to learn to play the recorder, and let's just say it was a less than savory sound.

"Yeah, well, a few things are better left to mystery."

"Dude, c'mon not cool. Where did you learn to play?

BBBBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG! The morning bell sounded.

"Phew, saved by the bell." Danny said before dashing off.

"HEY, slow down I'm not that fast." Tucker said in an attempt to catch up with his friend in not being late.

 **(With Ember, GZ, Ember's Realm)**

 _'Okay McLain come on you got this you've done it so many times before. Just be natural and let it flow.'_

She brought the pencil down onto the blank paper for like the twentieth time, nothing coming to mind nothing flowing out.

"Argh, why is this so hard now?" She said putting her hands on her forehead.

She had been trying to come up with a new song, one that she could debut with without having to control people with, a fresh start. Unfortunately her creative juices weren't flowing, and everything she's come up with so far hadn't been to her liking. She lolled her head back and stared at the ceiling wondering what she should do. She had wanted to go see Danny and possibly ask him for help, but she was a bit reserved at the thought. Turning her head she looked at the mini-can overflowing with crumpled papers.

"Okay, time to go see the dipstick. Hope I know what I'm doing." She said, before slinging her guitar onto her back and heading for the Fenton Portal.

 **(Amity High)**

Danny was sitting there totally zoning out on Mr. Lancer's lesson on William Shakespeare and his lost play, something to do with Carrionites or something like that. Lancer had a better way of draining life out of people than Penelope Spectra did misery. It was then his ghost sense had gone off and he had never been so happier to leave the classroom than now. He raised his hand, and without even turning around Lancer had dismissed him to the restroom. Danny did this so often it was like second nature to know when his hand went up. Danny left the room sending a look to Tucker that he could handle it, Tucker nodded in confirmation and went back to his PDA.

Danny ducked into an open locker and began his transformation, the two shimmering white rings travelling from his midsection to his head and toe, turning him into Danny Phantom. Going intangible he phased through the locker and ceiling intent on finding his adversary, to thank then kick their butt.

"Hey there Babypop."

Danny turned on a dime and there was Ember standing on an air vent ten feet away. He was about to charge up an ecto beam, when he noticed she wasn't in a fighting stance. In fact she looked down right nervous, she was hugging herself, and she seemed to have trouble looking in his direction. Something was off about her, but Danny didn't feel she was here for a fight. Touching down onto the roof he looked at her waiting for an explanation, when she remained silent he figured he should start.

"So Ember... what are you doing here? And are you ok? You seem nervous." Danny stated

"I AM NOT!" Ember yelled back.

"Yup totally nervous." Danny taunted back.

"SHUT UP!" Ember yelled again reaching for her guitar. Danny started to charge up again, but then noticed she paused halfway through. She closed her eyes, lowered her hands, and took a few deep breaths, trying to regain her composure.

"Look the only reason I'm back is because you said I could if I was on good behavior, and so far no mind-control." Ember defended.

"Ok, I'll give you that... so is that all or is there another reason that you're so conveniently here at my school during school hours." Danny asked.

Ember looked off to the side, "I wanted to *mumble mumble mumble*" she trailed off.

"Come again? I didn't quite catch that." Danny prodded.

Ember huffed and flew closer, as if she was worried somebody would hear what she was trying to say.

"I wanted to know if you'd be willing to help me... _write new songs._ " She whispered that last part practically inaudibly, lowering her head to look at the floor.

Danny had looked at her with wide eyes, not even sure if he heard her right since she practically mouthed the last part. But the way she acted after she said it confirmed he heard correctly, she had actually asked **him** to help her write songs. Normally, Danny would have just shrugged it off and threw some witty banter her way, but then he took a good look at her, she was trembling. He realized hardcore rocker ghost or not, asking for help was never easy, especially for her, especially for her one and only passion.

This was serious to her, so Danny decided he would take it seriously as well. Setting down he walked over to her, placing both hands on her shoulders. With one hand he lifted her head, he could see the embarrassment of asking, the fear of rejection, the shame of it all in her eyes. He gave her his best smile trying to give her a sign it was ok.

"Hey you don't need to look so worried, I'm the one who invited you back remember? So if you really are serious about this, I'll gladly help you out." Danny reassured her, trying to convey his concern and sympathy to her.

Ember clearly received it because she did something way out of character, she hugged him.

"Thanks Babypop."Ember said.

Danny stood there shocked, befire he could do anything Ember realized what she did and backed off fast. A green blush across her face, since she had ectoplasm instead off blood in her.

"That never happened. Got it?" Ember said in a threatening tone.

"What never happened?" Danny dumbly played along.

"Me hugging you." Ember said in a loud whisper.

"I thought that never happened." Danny teased her.

Ember facepalmed when she realized he went along with it and she had acknowledged it had happened. Danny couldn't help but laugh at this, but a quick glare from Ember shut hum up fast, a bemused smile still on his face.

"Alright lets get going." Ember told him before lifting off.

"Going where?" Danny asked confused.

"To write songs, duh dipstick." Ember stated as if it were obvious.

"I said I'd help, but not now I still have school."

"Ugh,fine let's go."

"Go where now?"

"Back to your class a-doi."

"Wait your coming too?"

"Relax Babypop, I'll stay hidden, but you'll know I'm there. Wouldn't you rather keep an eye on me?"

"Well normally yes. But if you're serious, really serious, I'd trust you."

Danny phased back through the roof with that comment leaving Ember there in shock. Whether he was that naive or really felt he could trust her left Ember feeling shocked... and a bit happy. She followed him through anyways.

 **After Note: I thought about going a bit further, but leaving here is fine. It's not much but it should help in story progression. She asked for help, now lets see how our hero is going to act. Til next time read and review and such. Hyphen dashes away.**

 **-Tia estas la vivo**


	3. Slip Out

**AN: No note just story. Legi sur.**

 **Slip Out - Beck, do not own.**

The rest of school had gone smoothly for Danny nothing really out of the ordinary... well excluding the fact that Ember was there. He had trusted her not to be a menace to society while he finished his academics, Ember decided to stick with him though. Why though he wasn't sure, he figured she would have been bored out of her mind just sitting in class. The only problem with her seating arrangement was where she sat, which was on his shoulders. Honestly, who the hell comes up with that? Just sitting on other peoples shoulders, not exactly the easiest place to sit.

Danny tried his best to ignore it but she needed something to do, and Danny's head just so happened to be within her reach. At first she started to use it as a drum, nothing to loud but enough that Danny felt each tap. After a while Danny was getting real annoyed, so he decided to give her leg a little nip. Instead of shouting in pain a soft moan was heard through the classroom, Ember got the message after that, right before giving Danny a solid smack. Then she started running her hands through his hair, which Danny actually quite enjoyed, it felt nice. Ember was just marveling at how soft it actually was, she figured that his hair was rough, but it was softer than a bunny's fur.

This was basically how it went until school was over that was when Ember got really excited and practically pulled Danny out of that accursed structure.

"Hey calm down, you're gonna pull my arm off." Danny whispered, yanking away from Ember's grasp.

"Hey we're burning daylight here dip- baby pop." She amended, she figured she wouldn't insult him while he was helping her.

"Relax we have plenty of time, music can't be rushed it flows when it wants." Danny said in an almost zen manner.

Taking his time he grabbed his books from his locker that he needed back at school, meeting Tucker on the way out.

"Dude there you are, what the heck happened? One minute you're in class the next your nowhere to be seen." Tucker interrogated.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Something just really called for my attention at the time, nothing to big to handle." Danny half-lied, hoping Tucker would think it was a ghost.

"Oh a ghost? Ok then." Tucker concluded.

Danny let go an inward sigh of relief, thankful that his friend didn't push for anything further.

"Hey so what was that sound in class? I could have sworn it was a girl moaning in class." Tucker brought up. Danny did his best to keep a straight face knowing exactly what, and who, that was. " Yeah I heard, it did didn't it? Think it was any of the girls in class?" Danny asked, deflecting the act to one of his female classmates. "Not really sure. I don't think so, but there were a few with red faces so who knows, maybe?" Tucker responded after thinking for a bit.

 _"You are so going to pay for that later Dipstick."_ Ember whispered into Danny's ear. Danny only smiled and whispered back in a cocky tone, _"It sounded like you enjoyed that little nibble. Did I leave a mark?"_ Though he couldn't actually see it Ember blushed hard and deep at that, she had checked it and indeed right on the inside of her thigh was a small little hickey. (If Kitty saw that she SO wouldn't hear the end of it.)

"Who you talking to dude?" Tucker asked noticing his friend's behavior. "Oh, ah, nobody just reminding myself to not forget about those extra credit questions Mr. Lancer gave us for homework. With my grades as they are now those would definitely help." Danny half-lied. Tucker nodded, indeed his friend did need a pick-me-up if he could get one, his grades really dropped since the accident.

" Oh yeah huh? You really should get those done, you're really going to need it." Tucker agreed. "I know." "So do you need some help with them, you know I'm acing the class?" Tucker offered. "Nah, I'm fine I got it." Danny declined.

"Anyways I got to get going, I got...stuff to do." Danny said before grabbing Ember's hand and running off. "I'll catch you later Tuck!" He called back at him. Tucker just waved Danny off, he could have sworn he was holding a hand when he ran off, but he just shrugged and walked away.

 **(20 minutes later)**

"Ok Dipstick where are we going?" Ember asked. "We've walked past your house already." She said as she gestured behind her.

"Yup, but we're not going to my house. You think I'd have been able to keep my musical talent hidden all this time if I practiced at home? My nosy sister would have been the first to find out, and Sam and Tucker would have know this whole time as well." Danny countered.

Ember nodded at the sensibility of the statement, it really seemed like he didn't want to let anybody know about his talents. ' _The dipstick really does keep some secrets, who knows what else he's hiding.'_ Ember thought.

"So is that why you didn't tell the geek-" "Tucker" "Tucker... what you were really doing today?" Ember asked.

"Well partially, I really don't want to publicize it."

"Kitty told me you showed her."

"Ah right, well first girlfriend and all wanted to make an impression, and by that time I found out it was Kitty."

"You knew it was Kitty? So then like why?"

"Kitty would have been a better girlfriend than Paulina, and if it were Paulina my affinity for music would not have stayed a secret."

"Wait til Kitty hears that, so what is the other reason you didn't want to tell him?"

"Well you were really nervous and kinda embarrassed to ask me, I didn't feel like it was my place to tell somebody else, even my best friend, I'll leave that up to you."

Ember was slightly astonished at the care Danny was using to deal with her situation, even though all he's going on is blind faith with her. He really is too good of a good guy. Ember noticed that Danny was taking a corner ahead of her into an alley, in her thoughts she must have stopped walking. She hurried to catch up with him but as she rounded the corner he was nowhere in sight.

"Danny? Where'd you go?" Ember queried as she started walking down the alleyway. All she could see was a few boxes, trash bags, and the dumpster at the end. "What the hell where'd he-" At that moment a hand flew from nowhere and latched itself onto her." Ahhhhhh!" She screamed as she was pulled through one of the walls.

"Did I scare you Ember?" Danny questioned.

Ember opened her eyes, Danny was holding onto her arm in a large mostly dark room.

"No I must have been your imagination." Ember denied as she extricated her arm from his hand. "Sure I did, just happened to imagine you scream like a schoolgirl." Danny teased a grin on his face hidden in the dark. "You did Dipstick!" Ember punched his shoulder. "Ember McLain does not get scared."

"Ow, chill out a bit. Oh wait fire core, suppose you don't know the meaning." Danny shrugged as he rubbed his shoulder where she punched him. "I so know the meaning." Ember said angrily, her hair glowing brighter. "Ok ok you do, just calm down before you burn the place down." Danny supplicated. Ember calmed a bit her hair turning back to her regular shade of blue.

"Ok, thank you, now let's get started shall we?" Danny said as he flipped a switch, the lights overhead flickered before they buzzed to life flooding the room with light. What Ember saw was a site to behold to her, the room was spacious and the walls were filled with an array of instruments. She had quite a few of these at her realm, but in different colors, and some she didn't own. What really drew her attention were the bass' and guitars at the far end. In the section he had a yellow Fender Telecaster that just seemed to play to you, a beautiful Gretsch White Falcon, a 1949 Fender Broadcaster Prototype that seemed like it just came off the line, but what caught her attention the most was a Gibson Les Paul with what seemed to be bullet holes in it. She carefully took it off the wall and examined it, wondering if it was still playable.

"Caught your eye did it? Got it from a friend, used to have an amazing band they toured once here when I was younger, probably why I got so determined to learn." Danny said with fondness of the memory. "Wanna give it a whirl?" He pulled out a power amp and plugged it in, Ember was still skeptical about the dubious looking guitar but decided to strum out a few chords. To her surprise the strings hummed out clear and true, playing a sound that just seemed right for the guitar. "Wow, was not expecting that." She said.

Danny just smirked, he had the same reaction when Ray handed it to him, he was more surprised that he gave it to him to be honest. He pulled the Telecaster off the wall and decided to play a song of theirs.

"Here rock star, try and play along." Danny said. Ember just looked at him and took up a stance ready to follow as best she could.

 _I don't know since when I changed to such a cold-hearted guy_  
 _I have to warm this frozen, icy, lonely heart to thaw_  
 _I like being wrapped with warmness more than anything else for sure_  
 _I'm gonna take my coming days and fill them with laughter and joy_

 _I let myself down by being crueler than I thought I would be_  
 _I'm just a loser learning to care for the soul inside of me_  
 _I don't give my heart to no one cause I don't wanna waste my time_  
 _I tried to love this loneliness to slip out from where it hides_

Ember was amazed at Danny's voice he sang so clear and his pitch was perfect.(No pun intended.)She did her best to try and keep up at first, but soon she was to wrapped up in Danny's playing to continue. The feeling he put into the song was just amazing, and the feeling that she got from listening to it was just something else to her. Dead or alive she hadn't felt a song move her the way this song did right now.

 _Sorrow is what I hate but it's grown my sensations_  
 _Regrets taught me how to make any hard decisions_  
 _Peace is always by my side but I've never felt it once_  
 _Love is not a word reserved only for sweet romance_

 _Well, I'm scared,I'm scared,I'm scared,I'm scared to death_  
 _And I'm scared to keep on going on my way_  
 _Well, I'm scared,I'm scared,I'm scared,I'm scared to death_  
 _And I'll tell myself I'm special till the end_

 _Recalling my torn, broken, aching heart of these long days_  
 _And all the memories I wanted to forget for making waves_  
 _Recalling, breaking, aching, crying, making sure I see_  
 _That'll take it all and grin at the future on it's way to me..._

 _Sorrow is what I hate but it's grown my sensations_  
 _Regrets taught me how to make any hard decisions_  
 _Peace is always by my side but I've never felt it once_  
 _Love is not a word reserved only for sweet romance_

 _I don't give my heart to no one cause I don't wanna waste my time_  
 _I tried to love this loneliness to slip out from where it hides..._

Danny finished it out with a soft strum, he opened his eyes to see Ember there with a slight slack jawed expression. "That was a song from my friends band, it was the one that really spoke to me. I guess now it can apply to my life even more." Danny said in a somber tone. He made a small ice crystal in his hand to further prove his point, before he evaporated it back into the air. Ember kinda felt bad for him, he never asked for any of this. The story of how it all happened was known throughout the Ghost Zone. He was just a victim of circumstance, he puts himself on the line daily to protect others, not always getting a good reaction from those he saves, and the ghosts just keep contributing to it. Ember felt kinda terrible about herself because she was also one of those ghosts who made his life even harder.

"Hey Baby Pop, um... sorry for, ya know, everything..." Ember meekly apologized.

Danny just looked at her, a soft smile forming on his face. " Thanks Ember, but it's ok, it's not really your fault."

"Yeah, but, I did contribute to the problem."

"Hey it's in the past, besides it really made me grow as a person, and it got me out of a lot of school hahaha."

Ember just smiled, under all the banter and sarcasm he really was mature for his age, most would have whined about the situation but not him. He was even willing to help her out now, just on her word that she wasn't going to be evil. His schedule was hectic enough, yet he agreed no questions asked, she felt a bit bad about that.

"Well I suppose we should start with what you tried to write. Did you happen to bring anything that you were working on? Maybe we could gleam something from one of them." Danny suggested.  
"Actually yeah, hold on." Ember said. She concentrated a bit and suddenly a small vortex appeared over her palm, after it vanished it left behind a small book, papers and sticky notes hanging out the edges. Ember hesitated in handing it to him, even if she wasn't satisfied with most of them they all held her feelings in them.

"Hey Ember?" She looked at him. "It's ok, if you don't want to you don't have to."

Ember took a deep breath, then she extended her hand with the book in it. " I came to you for help, and if you're willing to trust me, I'm willing to trust you."

Danny took the book and gave her a smile, he headed over to a table against a wall where he opened up the book. There were words and lyrics scrawled on just about every inch of the pages, yet it all seemed so coherent to him. He could read all the feelings left on these pages as if he felt them himself, Ember really did care a lot about her music.

"Well it would seem we have our work cut out for us."

 **Hyphen Note: Been playing Destiny... didn't really know how to end this chapter, and I haven't had any sleep for a while, so if this seems weird I blame it on that. If you can find the hidden reference bonus points to you.**

 **-Tia Estas La Vivo**


	4. Progress and a Secret

**Hyphen Note: Hey guys, Hyphen here. Sorry I haven't updated in like a month I think, haven't been able to get to a computer. I know that with the long time I've been gone I should have much more, but unfortunately the plot bunny attacked me so many times. So instead of working on just the few I have out I created more than a few. I'm iffy to publish because then I'd have more to update. Would you like me to publish them? I'll leave it to you. Legi Sur.**

 **(Danny's** **Studio)**

The day had been long, what they were doing now was just making it longer. They had been working on new songs for Ember for a couple of hours, but nothing solid came to fruition. Danny had decided to take a break and get to work on the homework and extra credit questions he needed to do. Ember didn't mind too much, she knew the importance of a break during the creative process. She wandered on over to Danny's side and peeked over his shoulder to glance at his schoolwork. What she saw just confused her, their was just a bunch of numbers and letters put together in an equation.

'Ughh, math.' Ember thought. It wasn't her best subject, combined with the fact she didn't finish high school because of... you know, dying.

"How do you even understand any of that dipstick?" Ember asked.

Danny looked up at her, "It actually isn't too hard, I just never have enough time to do it. Yeah Tucker always does his, but that's probably only because I don't call him for every ghost attack. If I did he might be in the same boat as me."

That made Danny rise a little bit in her eyes. Always sticking up for his friend, it's the same with her and Kitty. She stared again at the work it was giving her a headache just looking at it. She decided instead to check out the other instruments on the wall.

"Hey babypop, where'd you get all these instruments? I doubt you have that good of an allowance." Ember asked.

"I actually don't have an allowance, but my dad did mention one." He put on a thoughtful expression, making a mental note to ask his dad about that later. "But I've restored a good number of them, you wouldn't believe the stuff people throw out because they don't want to take the time to fix them." Danny said without looking over his shoulder.

"You restored them!" Ember looked at him incredulously.

"Yup a good 85% of those just needed some elbow grease and TLC and they were good as new. The rest were either gifts or ones I bought, a few have a story or two behind their... acquisition, but tales for another time." Danny explained. He closed his math book, and pulled out his English homework, taking note to do the extra credit questions.

"So was this musical bat cave a gift too? Or did you buy it as well?" Ember asked still curious as to why he had such a place.

"Actually I found it."

"Found it?"

"Yeah, back towards the end of grade school I was being chased by Dash and his goons, some things never change, and I needed a place to hide. I ran into the alleyway we were just in, I thought I was a goner... nazi's... burning... art and literature..."

"What?!"

"Oh sorry, English homework, studying the holocaust right now. Anyways as I said I thought I was a goner, I checked around but the doors were locked, and they were closing in. I was really panicking looking around when I noticed that the window up there" Danny points at window "was open. So I climbed up and over and landed in here. It was pretty vacant at the time, all that was in here were shelves, a table and dust bunnies."

"So you just decided to, what, turn it into your own studio?"

"Yup, I found out the place was soundproofed, and this place hasn't been scheduled for demolition anytime soon."

"What about the electricity? I doubt the city left it on."

"Generator in the basement. Turned it on before I pulled you screaming in here."

"Oh, and I wasn't screaming!" Ember shouted, cheeks burning in embarrassment.

"Whatever you say princess. Alright that's out of the way." Danny said as he put his homework away.

"What seriously? You finished it already?"

"I told you it wasn't that hard, it's just the exhaustion and time I lose from fighting you guys all the time. I'm always wiped, and that isn't including the time for school and family." Danny sighed.

"Oh right, sorry again." Ember apologized.

Danny just waved it off, "It's fine."

He got back up and went to a mini fridge he had in the corner and pulled out two sodas. "Here catch." He said as he chucked one towards Ember. She caught it and thanked him, popping the top and taking a swig. "Ahh, that really hit the spot."

"Hehe, yeah." Danny said as he wiped his mouth of any excessive that may have dripped out.

"Well Ember I think it's time to call it a day, I know you want to make a new song, but I just don't feel it right now." Danny suggested.

"It's ok, I guess. I didn't expect a miracle to work itself in one day." Ember said with a tinge of sad in her voice.

Danny looked at her with a questioning eye, picking up the tone of her voice. He looked up at the ceiling and placed a hand over his eyes. "Look if you'll allow me to, I could take some of your sheets home and try to make some improvements. Who knows, maybe 'll get struck with inspiration." When he was finished he parted his middle and ring finger and looked at Ember.

As best as she tried to hide it a small smile crossed her face, but Danny had caught it just in time.

"Well I suppose I could let you do that, and it is my music so you should get hit with inspiration." Ember replied in a somewhat haughty tone.

"Oh I should huh? So then why haven't you yet." Danny teased. Ember's face grew red in embarrassment at the rebuttal, and her hair took on a more reddish hue.

"Shut up dipstick. I inspire myself when I feel like it." Ember weakly replied.

"Hahaha, yeah ok. Well if I come up with anything I'll run it by you." Danny then took out a piece a paper and wrote his number down. "Here, this is my cell. If you come up with something I want to be the first to hear it."

"Wow Babypop didn't think you were had it in you." Danny gave her a questioning look. "Giving your number out to a girl you barely know. Got the hots for me?" Ember asked with a devilish grin.

Danny's face grew red, but he tried to keep a straight face. "Ah w-w-w-well, that will h-h-have to be my secret, huh? For now just trying to help a friend out." He managed to stutter out.

Ember just raised a questioning eyebrow. 'Hmm, could he? Nah, I just probably ruffled him a bit.' Ember thought, a little worm of doubt still there. "So what if Kitty wants to listen to it first? Best friend you know. I think that may have to trump music partner." She queried.

"Hmm, do I want to get between you and what Kitty wants?" Danny said with a fake thought look. "Well if I value my half life I don't think that would be a good idea, but if you do either call and put it on speaker, or bring her here, I would still like to know if you come up with something." Danny laid out. He picked a few of the sheets and put them in a notebook which he put in his backpack.

Ember just nodded at his answer in approval, she knew that Kitty would go on a warpath if somebody got in between what she wanted. She also nodded to indicate that she would do as Danny asked. She slung her guitar back on, while Danny slung his backpack on one arm and transformed.

"Not gonna walk back? We walked here, so why fly back?" Ember questioned.

"I wanted to make the studio a surprise."

"Mission accomplished."

"Besides too many eyes between school and here, being able to sing and play isn't the only secret I'm trying to keep here. C'mon, keep up hot stuff."

"Hot stuff? Really?"

"You got dipstick, and baby pop for me. Why can't I have one for you?"

"Keep trying, baby pop."

"You know I get dipstick, it's an insult, but what is baby pop?"

"That... is a topic for another time." Ember said as she flew through the roof.

"Hey, what's it mean?!" Danny shouted, chasing after. (Hehe chasing girls)

(Fenton Works, Basement Lab, 5 mins. Later)

"Forget it Danny, I'm not telling you right now. Live with it."

"Hmph, irritating girl." Danny muttered under his breath.

"Hmm, did you say something." Ember said in a voice that was too sweet.

Danny's instinct told him to not poke the bear, "No nothing at all." He raised his hands in a defensive way.

"I didn't think so. Anyways, thanks a lot for this, you don't know how much it actually means to me."

"You're welcome. Do I get another hug now?" Danny teased, giving her a lopsided grin and opening his arms wide.

She just gave him a hard glare, but she walked forward. She placed a hand on his cheek, Danny thought it felt incredibly soft for a guitarist's hand. She moved closer and Danny thought she was gonna kiss him. Then he lost his breath... As she had just punched him in the gut. He clenched his stomach and doubled over. Ember squatted down and Danny lifted his head.

"Don't push your luck, baby pop." She said, emphasizing baby pop, ending with a loud p, and floated through the portal.

Danny wheezed a few times "Damn girl can really throw a punch." He wobbled back up to his feet, "Guess I can count my few lucky stars that she didn't aim lower."

"Danny you down there?" His mom called from upstairs.

"Yeah, I'm here." He groaned.

"Everything okay? You sound a bit funny?"

Danny cleared his throat, "No I'm fine."

"Well okay then. Come up here and help me with the groceries please."

Danny gave a last look at the portal 'That girl, hmm, maybe...'

"Danny!"

"Coming mom." Danny said as he zipped to and up the stairs. 'Hope she bought some snacks.'

(Ghost Zone, Ember's Realm)

We find Ember sitting on the couch in her living room tuning her guitar to make sure it was perfect. 'Heh bet the dipstick thought I was going to kiss him.' She chuckled at the memory from a few hours ago. 'He's not that bad to look at, an he is really kind, he also-' Ember shot up 'No girl, do not ride that train of thought. He's just helping me with my music, nothing more and nothing less.' She clapped both her cheeks twice to try and get her senses back. She made a fist and tightened it, strengthening her resolve.

*knock knock*

Ember looked at the door, she put her guitar down and made her way to the day.

*knock knock knock*

"I'm coming don't get your panties in a twist."

She opened the door to find Kitty waiting there with her hands on her hips.

"I'm not wearing any panties for your information."

Ember pulled her friend in taking a look around to make sure nobody heard her say that before closing and locking the door.

"Geez say that a little louder next time." She scolded her friend.

"Calm down Em, I am wearing underwear." She pulled her skirt down a bit and pulled the clothing under to reveal a thong. "See? Told you?"

Ember just massaged her temples with her thumb and finger. 'Kitty sometimes...' "Is there a specific reason you came? Or just wanted to hang for a while?"

Kitty just smiled at her, "Why can't it be both? I love to hang with my bestie!" She got behind Ember and threw her arms around her, and nuzzled her cheek, much to Ember's chagrin. "And I also want the deets on how your hookup with Danny went." She said wiggling her brows.

Ember looked at her with reddened cheeks, "How did you know I was with Danny? And it wasn't a hookup!"

"Oh ho it's Danny now is it? Actual name, no insult? What happened between the two, of you?. She wiggled her brows again. "And I didn't KNOW, you just told me."

Ember mentally face palmed for walking right in to that one, "Nothing happened Kit, I just went with your advice."

"To get a boyfriend?"

"NO! *sigh* To ask him for... help with...my...music." She ended in a whisper.

"Oh right that advice." Kitty said as she thoughtfully tapped her chin... for two seconds. Then she grabbed Ember's wrist and dragged her to the couch sitting her down. "Come on don't leave your bestest friend in two whole dimensions here in the dark. SPILL!" She practically commanded.

Ember tried to get out of the conversation, "Hey want something to drink or eat I'm sure I have-" unsuccessfully that is. Kitty yanked her back down, and gave her the kind of glare that Medusa would be jealous of.

Ember squirmed a bit, wondering why she was reluctant to talk. It's not like anything had transpired between them. She took a breath and exhaled calming herself a bit. "Okay well not much happened I tracked him down at Casper and hung around until school was over. He said I could meet him later, said he trusted me not to do anything, but I figured if he could trust me I might as well let him keep an eye on me." She decidedly kept out the part of the little mark Danny left on her inner thigh. "After that we went to his studio."

"Studio?" Kitty said with a confused look.

"Please hold all questions until the end of the explanation please." Ember said a bit too sweetly. Kitty scowled at her but nodded.

"Anyways where was I? Oh right, studio! So we were there a few hours, unfortunately we came up with nothing. Dipstick said it was something about 'the flow of the music'." She air quoted. "So after a while we took a break he did his homework, I grilled him on how he got the instruments and studio, he wanted to know why I call him baby pop and I punched him in the gut before I left. So just a casual day." Ember finished recounting the days events, feeling like there was something she shouldn't have mentioned.

Kitty remained silent for a second not moving, then she raised her hand high in the air.

Ember fake looked around like there were others, raising a finger, "Er yes, Kitty?"

"Why do you call him baby pop?" Kitty asked forgetting any other question she had lined up.

In her head Ember was cursing enough to make a sailor's mouth sound clean, she knew there was something she forgot to not mention.

"Er, uh, that's uh... not important. Next question." Ember said trying to dodge the question for the second time today.

"Uh-uh no. Answer the question Em, you ain't getting off the hook that easy." Kitty said, knowing that there was more to this.

"I really have no reason to answer that question." Ember defended, crossing her arms.

"I suppose not... I guess I'll have to make one then." Kitty said with a twinkle in her eye and a mischievous smile on her face.

"Kitty what are...? No Kitty, no, back away I mean it." Ember warned crawling away from her friend who was wiggling her fingers towards her.

"KITTY NO, NO, NAHAHAHAHAHA STOP AHAHAHAHA PLEASE!" Ember laughed,tears forming, as Kitty tickled her.

"Not until you answer the question. Are you going to answer or not?" Kitty taunted.

"AHAHAHAHA NEVER. IN HAHAHA YOUR HAHAHAHA DREAMS!" Ember countered in between laughs.

"You asked for it then!" Kitty warned as she tickled Ember even more furiously.

Ember was being pushed to her limits. Kitty knew all of her tickle spots, she one she wasn't going to win.

"ALRIGHT AHAHAHAHA I'LL TELL, I'LL TELL!"

Ember pleaded.

Kitty stopped her attack but still straddled Ember in case she decided to make a break for it. Ember took a few seconds to catch her breath but Kitty sitting on her chest kind of impeded that.

"Alright but if I tell you, you must swear on your after grave that it stays between you and me." Ember said in a no nonsense tone with a serious look on her face.

Kitty nodded, thinking it must be important if it took this much to get it out of her. Ember motioned for her to lean down, apparently to whisper something in her ear.

'Right because there are so many people listening in.' Kitty thought, but she humored her friend anyway.

Ember leaned up and whispered quietly in her friends ear, Kitty's eyes grew wide with surprise and shock at the juicy tidbit she just heard.

"WHATT!?" She screeched right in her friends ear, literally.

"Ow Kitty off, now!" Ember said with murder in her voice.

Kitty complied floating off her friend and landing at the other end of her couch. Ember sat back up checking her hearing for any damage Kitty might have caused.

"Dang Kitty I thought I wouldn't be able to hear after that." Ember said pulling her finger out of her ear.

"Well how did you expect me to react to something like that? It's not like saying 'oh look at this new vase I got' now is it?" Kitty said laying the sarcasm on heavily.

Ember shot her a mad look but a blush had formed on her face, she crossed her arms and looked away with a "Hmph."

"Just drop it, never gonna happen anyway."

"Oh, I don't know depends on you really." Kitty said with a sly smile

"And him too." Ember profusely defended. "Just drop it!"

"Oh honey, a bomb like that is something that can't be simply dropped."

Ember and Kitty started an argument that is going to last for a while. So let's check on Danny shall we?

(Fentonworks)

Danny just finished helping his mom put away the groceries when his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey Danny, it's me,"

"Oh hey Sam how's it going in... Sorry where did you guys move to again? I don't think anyone ever told me."

"We're in London, it's okay here. I actually saw Dani not too long ago."

"Oh how is she doing? Did she look well?" Danny asked full of concern. Clone or not Danny cared for her like she was his own flesh and blood, which she was.

"She's fine, I got here some food and money before she left. Anyways that isn't what I was calling for."

Danny, relieved to hear Dani was okay, waited for the question that he knew was coming since yesterday.

"How come you never told us that you could sing and perform?!" Sam asked with a bit of anger.

Danny cringed since she pretty much shouted into the phone. "Hold on a sec." Danny went upstairs to his room and closed his door. "Well it was never anything that came up in a conversation, and there was never a situation that required me to do so."

"How about the first time Ember tried to take over the world?"

"Ah well at the time we had you and Tucker was kinda out of it."

"And he told me this time he was trapped underneath the stage." Sam countered.

"Right well if you remember I was also kind of under the influence of her spell, making me incapable of doing anything except focus on anything Sam related."

"...ok fair point there." Sam relented.

Danny sighed, "It's not like I ever really tried to hide it from the two of you, I just didn't really have a good time to show you two. We were kinda busy since the whole ghost thing."

"And before that?

'Again never a good time." Danny sighed "Look I've had a long day, can we table this discussion for another time?"

Sam hesitated, she was reluctant to let the matter go, but she knew how hard Danny worked and such. "Yeah sure, talk to you later Danny."

"Talk to you later." Danny said, then hung up.

He flopped onto his bed, he didn't realize it but he was really tired. He looked at his backpack and remembered he had promised Ember he would take a look at her work. So with great reluctance he got up and went to his desk, he flipped a lamp switch on, grabbed his backpack, and pulled out her music journal. He may not want to do it, but he did promise her, and Danny always kept his promises.

 **Hyphen Note: Also mostly a filler chapter, sorry. Thanks for reading please review. Gracias.**


End file.
